Medical College of Virginia - X Ray Yearbook (Richmond, VA)

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History of the Medical College of Virginia HE MEDICAL COLLEGE OF VIRGINIA is the only structure in the ■ ■ United States built in real Egyptian Architecture. The building besides being unique in this respect inspires one with a feeling of awe and grandeur. It closely resembles the monumental tombs and sepulchres of the ancients. It now has the added dignity of age. Its sombre gray walls are ivy clad and present in winter an extremely dismal appearance. Doubtless it reminds the students of that place on the door of which is written, All hope abandon, ye who enter here. Approaching the building from the east (front) there is absolutely no sign of a door. You pass between the massive columns and come upon a sheer wall rising to a height of fifty feet. The captions of the square columns are engraved with that classical Egyptian Arabesque, the Isis. In the wings of this mythical bird are entwined their heads which come over the bird ' s body and face each other. If we turn to either side we find a door built in the corner as it were, flush with, and not breaking the continuity of the wall. The door as well as the knobs are in that same sombre gray and are practically invisible. Who should preside over such a building? Should we not expect a man wrinkled and gray, shrunken with years, the spirit of which was service. One who smilingly greeted the young men with Good morning, doctor, how are you feeling to-day? One who always had the boxes of bones ready for the Freshmen, and who always had the dissecting hall ship-shape? Chris Baker looks as if he were the ancient occupant of the tomb risen from the dead. Instead of going into this door, let us go around to the back. Along the sides we still have the square columns and between these long rows of windows with diamond-shaped panes. The back very closely resembles the front, though it has a door in the center. The interior more clearly shows age and its atmosphere bespeaks toil and achievement. There are cases filled with specimens of every description where one may learn both medicine and zoology.